A discussion on homes in the future

http://www.channel4.com/info/press/programme-information/future-family

Last night I watched this programme about how homes might look in the future. They also featured electric cars and a car that could reverse park itself. It was abit like the old tomorrows world I think. Interesting. The gadgets used alot of electricity and were linked to technology. You had a home automation sytem. Even if you didnt see it. I thought it would be good to discuss what our homes might be like in the future and what we might like and not like.

We were really excited to see this show on last night until we read the synopsis. I hoped it would be about architecture and design for the future taking into account climate change, different weather patterns and physical space. But it wasn't so I didn't bother watching it.

I think we're so boring and more concerned with squidging lots of shoe boxes onto an estate than thinking about the important stuff like the experience of living in a place, light, privacy/community, energy efficiency and stuff like that we'll continue to build in pretty much the same way for a long time. Apart from the individuals who can afford to self build and who look to Europe for ideas.

There was a pod in the garden which you could set up for £20,000 to ease space in the house but they didnt say whether you would need planning permission to have one? They said you will be able to grow plants indoors with no soil or water needed it all worked by low energy lightbulbs. Yes the cost would be alot to have all these things installed and working.

I've seen Archipods and things like that. They usually don't need planning permission, I like some of them, they're cute.

Sounds interesting? I wonder how we will all live in the future?

Hmmm whilst I like some gadgets not sure I want a totally automated house. And what i don't understand is how can these houses be "greener" if they are powered by a fossil fuel burning power station.
I think we need less gadgets not more, go back to the horse and cart

yes its all gadgets. Here is some infor from last nights. The 3d printing was quite impressive.

The Perera family from Sheffield experience what work will be like in the coming decades as their house is transformed into a home of the future for this new five-part series. It's all change for junior exec Joel, as he's given a home office packed with the cutting-edge technology that will be coming to our offices (and growing number of home offices) in the future. There's everything from pocket-sized virtual laser keyboards to robots on wheels that let you 'walk around' an office in California, while sitting on the sofa in Sheffield. Joel also discovers how sci-fi is becoming a reality, with computers you can control with magic wands. Meanwhile, the run-down family MOT testing centre business gets an overhaul as presenter and futurist Chris Sanderson sets them up with their own electric charging point, and mechanic Leon discovers the secrets behind the future of both electric and hydrogen-powered cars. But the most exciting gadgets are the 3D printers, allowing the family to 'print' solid objects. Meanwhile life gets a little easier for Mum and Dad as they are given robots that wash the floor and do the vacuuming. There's also a cool new kitchen to speed Michele's mountain of laundry and a visit to a UK company that's invented a 'virtually waterless' washing machine. There are also apps that help with the shopping; a bath that runs itself to your chosen temperature, depth and bubble consistency; and vast solar farms that turn the power of the sun into unlimited energy. Dirs: Ruppert Gabriel, Rory McKellar, Jules Seymour; Series Prod: Stephen Leigh; Exec Prods: Dan Adamson, Francis Baker; Prod Co: Twofour Broadcast

3D printing is amazing. I can't remember what we were watching but there was a feature about it, how it's being used in dentistry and things to make models for dentures and things like that. We also follow Project Shellter which is all about using 3D printing to make shells for hermit crabs.

I agree amazing, a girl was able to order a lamp from a website to her exact specification.

TP wrote: They said you will be able to grow plants indoors with no soil or water needed it all worked by low energy lightbulbs.

We have only watched the first programme so far, but this idea of growing indoors without soil really appeals to us.
At the moment we only have a small garden with no room to grow much edible crops, only what we can grow in patio containers. So DH has been looking into buying one of the Aerogardens featured in the programme.
http://www.aerogarden.org.uk/

Although I do wonder if its worth the initial and running costs, to grow a very small amount of food.

hi everyone
i watched this programme and although i found it highly interesting and it made me wonder what kind of lifestyles my future grand and great grandchildren will be living, i was to be honest a little frightened of all this "technology". i can just about manage to send a txt on my antique nokia, it would appear that without a smart phone you just wouldn't be able to live (i could never manage to work one of those things) so i am a little apprehensive about it all. does anyone else think that there should be free classes on how to work mobiles etc for all us old technophobes (i am 41 by the way lol).
does anyone else wonder if technology is becoming to reliant on the internet, the way things appear to be going for us in the future it seems like we will never leave our houses for any reason.
regards

lasr night they had computer games that were controlled by the mind. Light up party dresses and a dress where you could have a mobile phone in the sleeve. They also had pants where if you let wind then apparantely you couldnt smell it. Think all these things are expensive though.

Does that mean you would have a mobile in the sleeve and a separate mobile? Wonder if all these things will happen?

I saw abit of it last night. They were growing their own food and they had fish which they killed to eat.

I didnt see last nights.